1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new process for the repair or restoration of ice tracks and more particularly, of the tracks in ice-skating rinks.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
At the present time, there are currently in use two processes for the repair of the ice, particularly ice tracks in skating rinks.
The first of the processes is the repair of the ice with the aid of a machine which, usually, carries out two steps or operations, namely:
1. THE PLANNING OF THE ICE,
2. THE SPREADING OF WATER.
The water spread is warm water at a temperature of about 65.degree. C. If cold water were to be used it would not spread it and, as a result, would not stick to the ice. Currently, there are machines in use which permit the water to be sucked up or aspirated in the case where the ice is melted only along the upper surface. This system of suction also allows for the cleaning of the ice before the spreading of the water. The temperature of the ice, depending on the room temperature, is set to between -15.degree. C. and -5.degree. C. In order to repair or restore the ice of a skating rink having surface dimensions of about 30 .times. 60 meters, it is necessary to spread between 600 and 1,000 liters of water at a temperature of 65.degree. C. This process is quite difficult, and with the net cost being dependent upon the source of the energy which is utilized. The ice, on the average, is renewed or heated four to five times each day depending on the degree of erosion and the public use sessions of the respective ice-skating rink.
The second prior art process is directed at eliminating the need for the spreading of water, but necessitates the utilization of enormous amounts of energy. This process consists of employing a row of gas burners in order to cause plates of steel to become red hot, and then to pass the plates slowly over the ice so as to re-melt the latter on the surface thereof in order to cause the tracks or furrows due to the blades of the ice-skates to disappear.
The drawbacks inherent in this process, colloquially called "iron to iron out," are basically three-fold:
1. THE HIGH COST OF EACH OPERATION,
2. THE MACHINE WHICH PULLS THE APPARATUS MUST CONTINUOUSLY MOVE BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF THE ICE MELTING BEYOND ITS SURFACE LAYER OR DEPTH. A very large irregularity on the surface of the ice would be caused by stopping the machine at any point,
3. THE WATER NEVER BEING REPLENISHED, THE ICE TRACKS CONTAIN MORE AND MORE IMPURITIES IMPEDING THE "GLIDE" OF SKATES THEREALONG.
The two prior art processes thus have the common characteristic of requiring a rather large consumption of energy. The present invention has for its object first to eliminate all consumption of energy, in other words, to repair the ice with the aid of cold water.